End effectors for surgical staplers

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes a staple cartridge and a control assembly comprising a plurality of first staples and a plurality of second staples. The control assembly includes a control circuit configured to generate a drive signal and a drive unit movable in response to the drive signal to deploy the plurality of first staples and the plurality of second staples.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
 a shaft; 
 an end effector extending from the shaft, wherein the end effector comprises:
 an anvil including a staple forming portion; 
 a cutting member; and 
 a staple cartridge, comprising:
 a cartridge body including a proximal end and a distal end; 
 an elongate slot extending between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the cutting member is movable relative to the elongate slot to cut tissue captured between the anvil and the staple cartridge; 
 a deck, comprising:
 a first deck surface; and 
 a second deck surface, wherein one of the first deck surface and the second deck surface is stepped up from the other one of the first deck surface and the second deck surface; 
 
 a plurality of first staple cavities arranged in a first row on a lateral side of the elongate slot, wherein the first row extends along the first deck surface; 
 a plurality of second staple cavities arranged in a second row on the lateral side of the elongate slot, wherein the second row is closer to the elongate slot than the first row, and wherein the second row extends along the second deck surface; 
 a plurality of first staples removably stored in the plurality of first staple cavities, wherein the plurality of first staples comprises:
 a first unformed height; 
 a distal staple positioned in the first row; and 
 a proximal staple positioned in the first row, wherein the proximal staple is positioned proximally to the distal staple along the first row, and wherein the distal staple and the proximal staple are deployed simultaneously into the tissue captured between the anvil and the staple cartridge; and 
 
 a plurality of second staples removably stored in the plurality of second staple cavities, wherein the plurality of second staples comprises:
 a second unformed height different from the first unformed height; and 
 a second staple positioned in the second row, wherein the second staple is deployed simultaneously with the distal staple and the proximal staple in the first row; and 
 
 
 
 a control assembly, comprising:
 a control circuit configured to generate a drive signal; and 
 a drive unit movable in response to the drive signal to deploy the plurality of first staples and the plurality of second staples. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The surgical instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the control assembly comprises an input member actuatable to generate an input signal. 
     
     
       3. The surgical instrument of  claim 2 , wherein the control circuit is configured to generate the drive signal in response to the input signal. 
     
     
       4. A surgical instrument, comprising:
 a fastener cartridge, comprising:
 a cartridge body including a proximal end and a distal end; 
 an elongate slot extending between the proximal end and the distal end; 
 a deck, comprising:
 a first deck surface; and 
 a second deck surface, wherein one of the first deck surface and the second deck surface is positioned higher than the other one of the first deck surface and the second deck surface; 
 
 a plurality of first fastener cavities arranged in a first row on a lateral side of the elongate slot, wherein the first row extends along the first deck surface; 
 a plurality of second fastener cavities arranged in a second row on the lateral side of the elongate slot, wherein the second row is closer to the elongate slot than the first row, and wherein the second row extends along the second deck surface; 
 a plurality of first fasteners removably stored in the plurality of first fastener cavities, wherein the plurality of first fasteners comprises:
 a first unformed height; 
 a distal fastener positioned in the first row; and 
 a proximal fastener positioned in the first row, wherein the proximal fastener is positioned proximally to the distal fastener along the first row, and wherein the distal fastener and the proximal fastener are deployed simultaneously; 
 
 a plurality of second fasteners removably stored in the plurality of second fastener cavities, wherein the plurality of second fasteners comprises:
 a second unformed height different from the first unformed height; and 
 a second fastener positioned in the second row, wherein the second fastener is deployed simultaneously with the distal fastener and the proximal fastener in the first row; and 
 
 
 a control circuit comprising a processor configured to generate a drive signal to deploy the plurality of first fasteners and the plurality of second fasteners. 
 
     
     
       5. The surgical instrument of  claim 4 , wherein the control circuit comprises an input member actuatable to generate an input signal. 
     
     
       6. The surgical instrument of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to generate the drive signal in response to the input signal. 
     
     
       7. A surgical instrument, comprising:
 a shaft; 
 an end effector extending from the shaft, wherein the end effector comprises:
 an anvil including a staple forming portion; 
 a cutting member; and 
 a staple cartridge, comprising:
 a cartridge body including a proximal end and a distal end; 
 an elongate slot extending between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein the cutting member is movable relative to the elongate slot to cut tissue captured between the anvil and the staple cartridge; 
 a deck, comprising:
 a first deck surface; and 
 a second deck surface, wherein one of the first deck surface and the second deck surface is stepped up from the other one of the first deck surface and the second deck surface; 
 
 a plurality of first staple cavities arranged in a first row on a lateral side of the elongate slot, wherein the first row extends along the first deck surface; 
 a plurality of second staple cavities arranged in a second row on the lateral side of the elongate slot, wherein the second row is closer to the elongate slot than the first row, and wherein the second row extends along the second deck surface; 
 a plurality of first staples removably stored in the plurality of first staple cavities, wherein the plurality of first staples comprises a first unformed height; and 
 a plurality of second staples removably stored in the plurality of second staple cavities, wherein the plurality of second staples comprises a second unformed height different from the first unformed height; and 
 
 
 a drive assembly, comprising:
 a motor configured to generate at least one rotary motion; and 
 a driven member configured to transmit at least one motion to the end effector in response to the at least one rotary motion, wherein the driven member is an articulation member configured to articulate the end effector relative to the shaft in response to the at least one rotary motion. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The surgical instrument of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of first staples comprises:
 a distal staple positioned in the first row; 
 a proximal staple positioned in the first row, wherein the proximal staple is positioned proximally to the distal staple along the first row, and wherein the distal staple and the proximal staple are deployed simultaneously into tissue captured between the anvil and the staple cartridge. 
 
     
     
       9. The surgical instrument of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of second staples comprises a second staple positioned in the second row, and wherein the second staple is simultaneously deployed with the distal staple and the proximal staple in the first row.